Combined cotton cleaner and boll-breaker machine



Feb. 3. 1925. 1,525,385

E. c. HERD COMBINED COTTON CLEANER AND BOLL BREAKER MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1924 4 Sheets-Shut '1 INVEN TOR.

B. (Literal,

ATTO

Feb. 3. 1925. 5 1,525,385 E. C'. HERD COMBINED COTTON CLEANER AND BOLL BREAKER MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1924. 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. B. (L. Herd,

A TTORNE Y.

Feb. 3. 1925.

E. C. HERD COMBINED COTTON CLEANER AND BOLL BREAKER MACHINE 4 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 21, 1924 I N VEN TOR.

E. C; Hetd ATTORNEY.

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Feb. 31 1925. 1,525,385

I E. -C.' HERD Filed Jan. 21, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet '4 as I IIIIIHIIIHHIHH I 1 I: IMIMIIII WMWIIHI L,

V Patented Feb. 3, 1925,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE o. HER-D, or CLARENDON, TEXAS.

COMBINED COTTON CLEANER AND BOLL-BREAKERMAGH-INE;

'State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Cotton Cleaner and Boll-Breaker Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined cot ton cleaner and boll breaker machine, and has for its object to provide a machine of such class, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, with a series of opposed spaced synchronously operated combined cleaner and breaker elements arranged in operative relation with respect to a corrugated foraminous support, and in connection with the latter acting upon the cottonto expeditiously clean the same, as well as for breaking up the bolls or pods thereof, and further for conveying the material While acting thereon through the machine,

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter referred to, a machine for the purpose set forth, including a vacuum chamber interposed in a suction line and provided with means for expeditiously cleaning the cotton as well as breaking .up the bolls or pods thereof, and further for collecting the dirt or seeds removed during the cleaning and breaking up operation.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a machine for the purpose set forth, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efficient and convenient in its use, and comparatively inexpensive to set up.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings,'wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to'be understood that'changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto apthroughout the several views p Figure 1 is ajtop plan view, broken away,

of a combined cotton cleaner and boll e 5" Application filed. January 21, 1924. Serial No. 687,627.

breaker machine in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

Figure 3 thereof.

Figure 4: is a fragmentary view in section.

Figure 5 is a section 0n1ine5 5, Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a side elevation, broken away, of a -modification.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7, Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1, 2, 3 and 1 denote a series of'vertically disposed angle-shaped supporting standards, each provided with afoot piece 5, secured in position by a hold-fast device 6.

Arranged between, as well as being secured to the inner faces of the supporting standards, at the upper terminal portions thereof, is a substantially enlarged casing of rectangular contour and which consists of a pair of end walls 7, 8, a pair of side walls 9, 10, a' closed top 11 and a hopper-like bottom 12, formedcentrally with a polygonal-shaped discharge chute 13. The casing provides a vacuum chamber 14.

Each of the end walls has a pyramidal extension, as indicated at 15, 16,"and the extension 15 is provided centrally with an is a transverse sectional view inlet 17, and the extension 16 with an outlet 18.

The casing is interposed in a suction line, not shown, and such line is connected with and communicates with the inlet 17 and is connected with and leads from the outlet 18.

Mounted upon the lower end of the chute 13 is a flexible collecting receptacle 19, which not only closes the lower end of the chute '13, but also provides means for collecting the dirt and seeds which are removed from the cotton during the operation of cleaning the same, as well as breaking up of the bolls or pods;

Extending transversely of the vacuum chamber 14, is a series of synchronously operated combined cleaner and breaker elements, and by way of example, four of such elements are shown, but it is obvious that the number can'be' increased or decreased if desired. The said elements are equally length to extend in close proximity to the side walls 9 and 10. Arranged within each body portion 20, at apoint removed from each end thereof, is a hub 21 having formed integral therewith a series of radially extending arms 22, which are formed integral with the inneriface of the member 20. The outer face of the body portion 20 has projecting therefrom a series of circumferentially extending spaced rows of equally spaced pins 23 of substantial length.

The four combined cleaner and breaker elements are indicated by the reference characters 24, 25, 26 and 27 and are equally spaced with respect to each other, and the said elements 24, 25, 26 and 27 include operating shafts 28, 29, 30 and 31 respectively, and each of which is fixed to the hubs 21 of its respective element. The shafts 28, 29, 30 and 31 are j-ournaled in and project outwardly from the side walls 9, 10. The side walls 9 and 10 are provided with bearings 32 for the end terminal portions of the shafts 28, 29, 30 and 31.

The shafts 28, 29 and 30 have secured to one end thereof a pulley 33 and to the other end thereof a pulley 34. The shaft 31 has secured to one end thereof a pulley 35, which is connected with the pulley 33 car ried by the shaft 30, by a transmission belt 36. The pulley 34 of the shaft 30 is con nected to the pulley 34 of the shaft 29 by a transmission belt 37. The pulley 33 of the shaft 29 is connected to the pulley 33 of the shaft 28 by a transmission belt 38, and the pulley 34 of the shaft 28 is connected by a driving belt 39with a prime mover, not shown.

By connecting up the combined cleaner and breaker elements in a manner as stated, the said elements are synchronously operated in the same direction.

Secured within the chamber 14, and spaced a substantial distance from the combined cleaner and breaker elements is a longitudinally extending foraminous partition 40, formed with a series of depending semi-circular portions 41, 42, 43 and 44. The end terminal portions of the partition 40 are arranged in alignment with the inlet and outlet 17 and 18. The semicircular depending portion 41 opposes the element 24, as well as being spaced a slight distance from the outer termini of the pins 23 of said element and the depending portions 42, 43 and 44 are arranged with respect to the elements 25, 26 and 27, in the same manner as the depending portion 41 is arranged with respect to the element 24.

The point of j oinder between the portions 41 and 42 is positioned between the elements 24 and 25 and in alignment with the end terminal portions of the partition 40. The point of joinder between the portions 42 and 43 is positioned between the elements 25 and 26 and in alignment with the end terminal portions of the partition 40. The point of joinder between the portions 43 and 44 is positioned between the elements 26 and 27 and in alignment with the end terminal portions of the partition 40. The outer terminus of the portion 41 merges into the end terminal portion of the partition 40, which is arranged at the inlet 17, and the outer terminus of the portion 44 is positioned at the end terminal portion of the partition 40, which is arranged at the outlet 18.

The partition 40 provides a support for the material as it is being acted upon, as well as conveyed by the combined cleaner and breaker elements, and said partition 40 furthermore acts as a sieve for separating the dirt and seed from the material while it is being acted on and conveyed by the combined cleaner and breaker elements.

The material is fed to the vacuum chamber 14 by suction and is also withdrawn by suction, and the combined cleaner and breaker elements acting on the material will assist in conveying the same through the casing, or rather through the vacuum chamber 14.

In the modification shown in Figures 6 and 7, the construction is the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 5, with this exception, that the bottom of the casing is not of hopper contour, but of the same length as the length of the casing and with the side walls 45, 46 thereof converging. towards each other and terminating in the upper portion 47 of an angle-shaped discharge tube. The upper portion 47 of the discharge chute is disposed longitudinally with respect to the machine and projects outwardly from the standards 1, 3, and terminates into the ver tically extending portion 48 of the discharge chute.

Extending througl'i the portion 47 of the discharge chute is a shaft 49 provided with a spiral conveyor 50 for conveying the collected matter from the portion 47 into the portion 48 of the discharge chute.

That end of the shaft 31, opposite the end provided with the pulley 35, has fixed thereto a pulley 51, which is connected by a transmission belt 52, with a pulley 53 carried by a shaft 54 supported from the standards 2, 4. The shaft 54 carries a bevel gear 55 which meshes with a bevel gear 56 on one end of the shaft 49, so that the latter will be operated when the shaft 31 is driven, and which provides for the operation of the spiral conveyor 50.

Otherwise than that as stated, the construction illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, is the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 5.

The dirt and seeds removed from the material will fall into the hopper-like bottom 12 and be discharged therefrom by the chute 13 into the collecting receptacle 19, or will fall into the bottom 56' and be conducted into the portion 47 of the chute 57, and be conveyed by the element 50, into the portion 48, of the chute 57 and discharged into a suitable collecting receptacle not shown.

The cylindrical body portions of the combined cleaner and breaker elements are constructed of any suitable material, preferably metal, and will act to crack the bolls or pods, more particularly that element 24:, which is arranged at the inlet or mouth 17 of the vacuum chamber 14:.

It is thought that the many advantages of the combined cotton cleaner and boll breaker machine as herein set forth, will be readily apparent, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, yet changes in the details of construction can be had which will fall within the light of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is l. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising means to provide a rectangular vacuum chamber having pyramidal shaped end walls, one of said walls centrally thereof formed with a laterally extending inlet and the other of said walls provided centrally thereof with a laterally extending outlet and opposing and arranged in horizontal alignment with said inlet, said chamber having its bottom adapted to communicate with a collecting receptacle, a foraminous partition disposed longitudinally of and arranged within said chamber and extending from one end to the other end wall, said partition formed with a series of depending opposed semi-circular portions spaced from said inlet and outlet, a revolvable combined cleaner and breaker element extending in and spaced form each of said depending portions, the axis of each of said elements aligning with the axes of said inlet and outlet, and means for operating said element.

2. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising means to provide av vacuum chamber provided with a discharge chute adapted to communicate with a collecting receptacle, said chamber having an inlet at one end and an outlet at its other end, said outlet opposing said inlet, a foraminous partition arranged within said chamber and extending from one end to the other thereof and formed with a plurality of depending opposed semi-circular portions, a revolvable combined cleaner and breaker element extending in and spaced from each of said depending portions, the axis of each of said elements aligning with the axes of said inlet and outlet, and means for operating said elements.

3. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising means to provide a vacuum chamber provided with a discharge chute adapted to communicate with a collecting receptacle, saidchamber being rectangular in contour and having pyramidal shaped end walls, one of said end walls centrally thereof provided with a laterally extending inlet and the other of said end walls provided centrally thereof with a laterally extending outlet and opposing said inlet, a foraminous partition disposed longitudinally of and arranged within said chamber and extend ing from said inlet to said outlet and formed with a plurality of opposed, depending, semi-circular portions, a revolvable combined cleaner and breaker element extending in and spaced from each of said portions, and means for operating each of said elements.

t. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising means to provide a vacuum chamber having a discharge chute adapted to communicate with a collecting chamber. said chamber formed at one end with an inlet and at its other end with an outlet opposing said inlet, a foraminous partition arranged in said chamber and extending from the inner end of said inlet to the inner end of said outlet and formed with a plurality of semi-circular, opposed, depending portions, a revolvable combined cleaner and breaker element extending in and spaced from each of said depending portions, the axis of each of said elements aligning with the axis of said inlet and outlet, and means for operating said elements.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

E. C. HERD. 

